PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Alexandra Rowland is the author of A Conspiracy Of Truths, A Choir Of Lies, and Finding Faeries, as well as a cohost of the four-time-Hugo-Award-nominated podcast Be the Serpent, all sternly supervised by their feline quality control manager. They hold a degree in world literature, mythology, and folklore from Truman State University
Rowland delivers a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy, in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts. . . . In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other, this achingly tender fantasy wows. --Publishers Weekly (starred review) A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy. Rowland's latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters.--Library Journal (starred review) The matriarchal defaults and three-gender system present in Arasti society place the novel squarely among the ranks of contemporary queer fantasy... An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy. VERDICT Rowland's (A Choir of Lies) latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters.--Library Journal (starred review) This slow-burn romantic fantasy with a heavy dose of political intrigue is rich in world-building and emotional angst.... A queernormative fantasy world.--BuzzfeedNews A delicious tangle of romance, fealty, and dangerous politics. --Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne I loved spending time with Kadou. A Taste of Gold and Iron is a beautiful love story with a warm, genuine, and hugely relatable portrayal of living with anxiety at its center, and I rooted for the main character all the way. --Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit Witty, clever, and often extremely funny, Rowland's tale of a prince who doesn't want power but has it anyway--and must survive all the risks that brings with it--somehow manages to be both soft and hard-edged, clever and kind. And sexy! Very much that too. --Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings A Taste of Gold and Iron is a slow-burn romance flush with sexy, complicated relationships and founded on the ethics of duty and love. As indulgent and satisfying as your favorite fanfiction. --Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear Drama, intense politics, and sexual tension . . . . Witty . . . While it is a romantic fantasy novel, it's also a political thriller, heist, and family saga at once. More importantly, as with any good romantic novel, I was shaking the book asking when the characters would kiss already. It was well worth the wait when they finally did. --Locus Kadou's coping with anxiety and personal growth are a joy to watch as he fully embraces his talents and comes out of his shell with the help of Evemer, his bodyguard. The slow-burn romance between them is beautifully done and adds a thrilling element to the story that readers will savor. --Booklist For readers who enjoy forced proximity and bodyguard romances, A Taste of Gold and Iron offers both, wrapped in a delightful package of espionage and royal duty.... Rowland also impresses in their nuanced depiction of anxiety. --Bookpage
